Workers

Studies have shown that inequality in the U.S. has been on the rise for decades, with the top earners enjoying astronomical gains and average Americans coping with stagnating incomes. These studies typically rely on annual income data, however, which may overstate inequality: low earners in one year may be high earners the next.

The U.S. Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967 prohibits bias against those 40 and older. Because the share of the aging population in the U.S. is expected to rise, the act’s role in maintaining and encouraging employment of older workers is likely to grow in importance.

Efforts to create healthy workplaces generally focus on safety. Programs that support employees’ choosing healthier behaviors — being more physically active or adopting a better diet, for example — are less common.

Retirement planning decisions are growing increasingly complex in America, and older workers are facing critical financial choices in the latter years of their professional lives. Making optimal choices, however, requires an increasing level of financial literacy and knowledge.